Child Sex Abuse Scandal Casts Shadow over Conclave

Cases in Ireland and USA. Papacy contender Dolan gives evidence

NEW YORK − The eleven cardinals from the United States at the upcoming conclave will comprise the second-largest national group after Italy’s. This is one of the reasons why many Vatican observers include Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York and head of the Catholic church in North America, on their lists of contenders for the papacy. But for years, the paedophile priests scandal has cast a shadow over North American Catholicism. The issue is bound to impact on the choice of a successor for Benedict XVI, and not just for what went on across the Atlantic.

Yesterday, the media spotlight was back on Cardinal Godfried Danneels, who was investigated three years ago on suspicion of covering up hundreds of cases of child sex abuse. Some Catholics have again called for the resignation of Ireland’s Cardinal Sean Brady, whom they accuse of failing to stop the many paedophile priests that he knew about (the case dates back to the 1970s and Brady claims in his defence that at the time, when he took part in ecclesiastical investigations, he had no power to intervene).

But the church most in the eye of the paedophilia storm is America’s, where thousands of cases have been reported. The most glaring example, which the Corriere della Sera covered recently, is Cardinal Roger Mahony. Many Catholic groups have called for the former archbishop of Los Angeles to stay at home and not to take part in the vote for the new Pope.

Cardinal Mahony, who is under judicial investigation for his failure to act, will have to give evidence in court tomorrow before leaving for Rome. However, he is not the only prelate who has been summoned to give evidence in sex abuse cases recently. Yesterday, it was Timothy Dolan’s turn. The archbishop, who was invited by Barack Obama and Mitt Romney to bless their respective conventions in the run-up to last November’s presidential election, was heard behind closed doors in connection with child sex abuse in the diocese of Milwaukee in Wisconsin, where he headed the local church for seven years from 2002 to 2009. Unlike the other cardinals, Dolan was not in charge when the child sex abuse cases were taking place. To the contrary, he was sent to Milwaukee in the wake of the scandal to repair the damage and restore the Church’s prestige. Today, however, Cardinal Dolan has to answer allegations from lawyers representing 350 of the 570 abuse victims in Milwaukee who accuse him of doing little to identify and punish those responsible. Above all, he is alleged to have used a cemetery trust fund and other means to hide part of the diocesan assets ($120 million) which should have been placed at the disposal of the authorities that had ordered compensation for the victims.

No details were released yesterday about Timothy Dolan’s statement, which has been placed under confidentiality. Whatever the case, the incident does little to enhance the image of the cardinal, who after his sermon at St Patrick’s Cathedral last Sunday told journalists who asked him about his chances of becoming pope that such rumours came “only from people smoking marijuana”. Timothy Dolan became archbishop of New York in 2009 and two years later his successor in Milwaukee filed for bankruptcy. A further seven dioceses in the United States adopted the same ploy to avoid paying compensation to the victims of paedophile priests.

In other words, Team USA is not heading for the conclave in a blaze of glory. Another of the eleven north American cardinals, who make up nearly ten per cent of the Sacred College, will be coming to Rome under the shadow of scandal. The former archbishop of Philadelphia, Justin Rigali, stepped down officially because he had reached the age limit. Many, however, believe that he was shown the door for failing to acknowledge the responsibilities of thirty-seven paedophile priests. Nevertheless neither the Rigali case, nor far less that of Dolan, is in any way comparable to the scandal surrounding Mahony, who has been publicly condemned by his successor, the current archbishop of Los Angeles, Josť Gomez.